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Yao at the All-Star game

On Thursday Yao was in Los Angeles with translator Colin Pine to announce his global endorsement deal with McDonald's. To see more photos from the press conference, click here. (Photo courtesy Sina).
 		On Friday, Yao tries to defend Lebron James in the Schick Rookie Challenge. Yao's performance was rather uneventful, scoring 6 points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field in 15 minutes of play as the sophomore team beat the rookies 142-118. For more photos, click here. (Photo courtesy AP).
On Sunday, Yao tries to score over Jermaine O'Neal. In 18 minutes of play, Yao finished 16 points on 8-of-14 shooting, along with grabbing 4 rebounds. The Western Conference won the game 136-132. For more photos, click here. (Photo courtesy AP).
SUNDAY, 2/15/04 - After having a non-eventful showing in last year's All-Star game in Atlanta, Yao's performance this year in Sunday night's game was much better and reflected the increased confidence he has made over the past year.

Scoring 16 points on 8-of-14 shooting in just 18 minutes of action, there was a point in the fourth quarter that Yao had a chance to win the game's MVP award. But after he (and other players) were permanently replaced at the 7:21 mark of the fourth quarter, the table was set for LA favorite Shaquille O'Neal to close out the game, rack up the stats, and win the MVP award. And he did. Shaq ended up scoring 24 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in 24 minutes of play, and was awarded game MVP.

After the game, it was mentioned that all the players in the West team's locker room wanted to do whatever it would take for Shaq to win it. So they fed him the ball and let him do his thing. That's how it is every year in the All-Star game. Michael Jordan was given the same preferential treatment the year it was held in Chicago. Heck, I even remember Tom Chambers getting the same treatment many, many years ago when the All-Star game was held in Seattle.

So in the future, if any sports announcer tries to impress you with how many All-Star game MVP awards a player like Shaq has won, just throw that stat out the window because it means absolutely nothing.

With that said, though, when it comes time for Houston to host the All-Star game (perhaps in 2006, which is still to-be-determined from what I understand), it will be Yao's turn. Or maybe Francis' turn, depending on what his situation is at the time.

Although the game really didn't have much suspense, we did see some plays in this game that we don't normally get to see from Yao. He was definitely playing more loose than he does in a regular-season NBA game, which was enjoyable to see! Rather than go into them here, I've documented them below in the Detailed Yao Analysis below. If you didn't get a chance to watch the game, have fun reading about Yao's fun side!
SATURDAY, 1/14/04 - I wanted to give you a taste of what another national reporter wrote about Yao vs. Shaq IV. I would normally just link to the article, but it's included with alot of other non-Yao comments that might make you miss it. Here's Ralph Wiley's (ESPN) thoughts...

Chairman Yao just did Shaq.

Oh yeah he did. Rockets 102, Lakers 87.

"I don't like the fans having the vote. Yao shouldn't be the starter in the All-Star Game," Chuckster said on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." "Although Yao just did whup Shaq's butt last night." Pregnant, ominous, even hopeful pause from Jay Leno and everybody else on the set. "Oh yeah, he did," Chuckster repeated. "He whupped Shaq's butt."

I wondered why everybody else, including the play-by-play guy who actually did the game, acted like it hadn't happened. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the Lakers were at the end of a seven-game roadie and you don't have any legs left at that point, but still, in case you missed it, Chairman Yao served notice on us all, quietly, during that 102-87 thrashing of the Lakers in Houston. Yao Ming did things in that game no one has ever done to Shaq. Basically, he busted that ass, straight up, one-on-one, within the context of a team game, and he did it by flatly out-skilling O'Neal.

Let that sink in.

It wasn't such much that 29 points and 11 rebounds compared to the 24 points and 10 rebounds. It was the way Yao got them. Yao can shoot his J right over the top of Shaquille, something no other player can do, with the possible exception of KG, and he was doing that, but that wasn't unusual. What was different was when Yao rolled into sweeping Sky Crane hooks, or pulled a Shaq and flipped a rebound away from behind Big Fella, a patented Shaq more, recovered it, and went to finish. Shaq, tired, feeling threatened, then clonked Yao on the head. Hard. It was a back-down hit, calculated to take a toll on Yao, not on that play, but for the rest of the game. Yao dunked it anyway, and hit the free throw, and if anything, became even more stoic, and effective.

Afterward, Jim Gray asked him if that hurt. Of course it hurt, but Yao's reaction was telling. First off, it was in English. That interpreter guy will soon be obsolete. I'm not saying Shaq will be too, but something is changing ... Yao said, "What? Oh. I don't remember it." Did it hurt? "No."

Yao went about his business, gliding out to see super-high screens and then diving back into the hole. The Lakers had Shaq on him one-on-one in the fourth quarter, as they tried to mount a patented, superior NBA team "Y'all ready to play now?" comeback. Yao was having none of it. From the left block, moving left with a right-hand dribble, he moved Shaq into the lane, then drop-stepped him, whirled right and finished with the left hand. Shaq blasted him and no foul was called, but Yao finished and ran back on D.

Yao dropped 15 points in the fourth quarter -- the equivalent of a 60-point game -- on Shaq' massive dome and the Rockets won going away. Yeah, I'm sure Shaq will get some get-back when they meet again, but the die is cast.

It's just a matter of time. Shaq is 31. Yao is 23. People have been saying that Yao's cultural differences will keep him from dominating, and that physical play from the Bad Shaq and all of the brutal Dogmen will keep him at bay, and that he doesn't want it bad enough, which is just a way of saying he is too weak and weak-minded, and isn't physical enough. All I keep thinking to myself is that Bruce Lee came from that same culture. And all I know is, I would not want to draw the Houston Rockets in the first round.
Detailed Yao Analysis
vs. Eastern Conference All-Stars  2/15/04

1st quarter
10:46 From the right wing, Kevin Garnett puts up a jumper that misses, and the ball bounces to the opposite side of the rim to Steve Francis along the baseline, AND FRANCIS TIPS IT STRAIGHT TO YAO WHO IS STANDING IN FRONT OF THE BUCKET, AND YAO THROWS IT DOWN WITH THE RIGHT HAND OVER BEN WALLACE! That's the first time I've seen Francis do something like that even in a Rocket game! The West leads 6-2.
9:54 From the top of the three-point line, Francis passes the ball to Yao, who is standing behind the three-point line on the left side of the court. Unbelievably, Yao hoists up a three-point attempt, but it falls way short! DANG! If he had hit that one, Yao would have become an instant All-Star game legend! At least it's nice to see Yao have fun like this...he would rarely shoot a shot like that in a real game!
9:33 On a semi-fast break, Tim Duncan is dribbling the ball up the floor, AND YAO IS RUNNING HARD LEADING EVERYONE ON THE BREAK, AND DUNCAN THROWS A PERFECT ALLEY-OOP PASS TO YAO IN FRONT OF THE RIM AND YAO SLAMS IT HOME RIGHT-HANDED! That's another thing we rarely see from Yao with Houston: a fast break that results in an alley-oop slam dunk for Yao!

Yao is now 2-for-3 from the field with 4 points, and the West leads 8-6.
8:50 Tim Duncan drives toward the hoop and misses a reverse layup, but Yao is underneath the basket and is able to tip it to himself over Ben Wallace. Yao grabs control, pivots and tries to throw-down hard a right-handed jam, but he was a little too far away from the basket and misses the dunk. However, Tim Duncan follows the miss by tipping the ball in. Wallace also put up some good resistance to make the dunk a little more difficult for Yao to make. Yao is now 2-for-4 from the field with 6 points.
6:48 Nice pass
+
 From the three-point line, Francis passes the ball to Yao a few feet outside the middle edge of the lane, but Ben Wallace is able to tip it from behind and knock the ball away toward the basket. Yao takes a couple of steps toward the basket to get control of it with one hand, but rather than go up for a shot, HE WHIPS A NO-LOOK PASS BACK TO FRANCIS BEHIND THE ARC TO SET UP FRANCIS FOR A THREE-POINTER (and the crowd oohs-and-aahs on the impressive accuracy of the no-look).

Francis opts not to take the shot but instead drives down the middle of the lane, AND THEN LOFTS UNDERHAND A PERFECT ALLEY-OOP PASS TO YAO ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RIM, AND YAO RAMS IT HOME FOR THE SCORE! The crowd loved that one, too! What was interesting is that play is typically run on the Rockets between Francis and Cato, not Yao. Yao is showing his ability to finish alley-oop plays in this game, something he doesn't get much of a chance to do during Rocket games.

Yao is now 3-for-5 from the field with 6 points, and the West leads 14-10.
5:17   Yao checks out of the game for Shaq. Yao has 6 points on 3-of-5 shooting from the floor. The West leads 19-15.
2nd quarter - At the end of the first quarter, the East leads 33-31.
2:51   Yao checks back into the game for Brad Miller. The West leads 57-56.
2:31 Francis and Yao are running on a fast break. Francis has the ball on the left wing and passes the ball to Yao who is running down the middle of the lane. Yao catches the pass and elevates off one foot and tries to finger roll it in, but it's a little too strong and misses off the back iron. Yao is now 3-for-6 from the field with 6 points. The East leads 59-56.
1:18 Yao gets the ball just inside the three-point line, and the crowd starts roaring trying to encourage him to shoot. So Yao dribbles once to get his feet behind the line and hoists up another trey, but this time it hits off the front iron. We like how Yao is letting his guard down in this game and trying to please the fans with those skills he rarely gets to show during a regular-season NBA game. Yao is now 3-for-7 from the floor with 6 points.
:32 On an inbounds pass, Yao gets the ball on the right edge of the lane and shoots a right-hand hook shot, but it misses. Yao is now 3-for-8 from the field with 6 points.
Halftime - At the end of the second quarter, the East leads the West 64-58.
3rd quarter - Yao starts the quarter.
11:26 Yao gets the ball on the right edge of the lane. With his back toward the basket and Ben Wallace guarding him one-on-one, Yao dribbles once then shoots a fadeaway jumper and HITS IT! He is now 4-for-9 from the field with 8 points. Yao's West team trails 60-66.
10:39 Yao gets the ball on the left edge of the lane, then dribbles back toward the elbow of the lane and launches a right-handed jump hook shot from almost the free throw line, and BANG! The crowd is impressed with his range on that hook! Yao is now 5-for-10 from the floor with 10 points, and the West trails 62-68.
10:12
For the third straight possession, Yao gets the ball again, this time on the left edge of the lane. Ben Wallace gambles and tries to knock the ball away, which gives Yao an opening to the basket. Yao quickly turns to the hoop and tries to put a shot off the glass, but Wallace is able to recover and deflect it for the block. The ball is knocked around a bit, and Kevin Garnett gains possession and zips a pass over to Yao on the left side of the rim. This time Yao puts up a little hook shot from 3 feet away and makes it! Yao is now 6-for-12 from the field with 12 points. The West trails 64-71.
7:33   Yao checks out of the game for Shaq. The West trails 73-75.
:30.3   Shaq dribbles into the lane and has his jersey pulled by Jamaal Magliore, but is still able to put a shot off the glass for the score! What is surprising is that both Steve Francis and Yao jump off the bench clapping and laughing, impressed by Shaq's play! It's amazing how just four days earlier Yao and Francis were intense rivals of Shaq's, but tonight they are not only rooting for each other, but enjoying each other!
4th quarter - At the end of three quarters, the West leads 103-101. Yao starts the quarter.
11:25 Yao gets the ball on the left edge of the lane and shoots a fadeaway jumper over Jamaal Magliore and SWISH! Yao is now 7-for-13 from the floor with 14 points. The West leads 105-103.
8:58 Assist From behind the three-point line, Francis passes the ball to Yao on the right block. Francis then takes off toward the basket and Yao just throws the ball up underhanded high toward the rim (without even looking at the rim or even moving his body), and Francis jumps out of the arena to catch the ball at the rim and THROWS IT DOWN, and the crowd roars its approval! Even Kevin Garnett got up off the bench after that one! You know Francis and Yao practiced that play especially for the All-Star game because this play has never been run while they have been on the Rockets. As Yao is running back on defense, he is seen laughing because someone from the East team said something humorous to him. That play ties the score at 109-109.
8:10 Yao gets the ball about 3 feet outside the left edge of the lane with Jamaal Magliore guarding him one-on-one. Yao then bounces a couple of times toward the baseline looking like he wanted to drive to the basket, but Magliore does a good job of cutting him off at the baseline. So Yao just decides to take a step back and LAUNCHES A LONG, HIGH-ARCING SHOT RELEASED ALMOST FROM BEHIND THE BACKBOARD, AND IT GOES IN! Yao is now 8-for-14 from the floor with 16 points. That bucket by Yao ties the score at 111-111.
The TNT commentators have the following to say after Yao hits that bucket:

Marv Albert: "Yao has had the touch!"

Mike Fratello: "...and showing that maybe he well deserves the starting spot (over Shaq)"

Doug Collins: "He's got a wonderfully soft touch."
7:21   Yao checks out of the game for Tim Duncan. The East leads the West 114-113. Yao does not return the rest of the game, and the West team goes on to defeat the East 136-132.

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